Woven I hurried into my study, finding a large brown carton sealed tightly with brown cello tape on the table. A mix of excitement and nostalgia coursed through me as I touched the carton. I hesitated, torn between the urge to open it and uncertainty. Inside were the published copies of my new book, ‘Woven.’ With care, I peeled off the cello tape and opened the box. There they lay – stunning, glossy copies of my inaugural artistic creation. Two tears of joy trickled down my cheeks as I selected a book and cradled it as if it were my own child. In a way, it was; I had brought it into existence, after all. ‘Woven,’ set to launch in September, began as a simple undertaking in Toastmasters. It was a project on the Innovative Planning Path, where we were tasked with establishing and sustaining an engaging blog. Originally planned for two months, the project gained momentum far beyond my expectations. By the time I finished, I had amassed a substantial following on WordPress. The response was not only overwhelming, but the number of followers skyrocketed. That’s when the idea to formalise it dawned on me. I committed to weekly blogging, addressing relatable subjects like career growth, personal development, transformation, investing, mentoring, andmore – all based onmy personal experiences. Soon, my assistant, Evans, suggested transforming the compiled blog posts into a book. It involved significant effort, rewriting several posts and shaping them into a coherent book. It’s been three years since the book’s inception, and holding physical copies now feels incredibly rewarding. One of my cherished blog posts is titled ‘I Love You, I Miss You.’ It revolves around the concept that people sometimes leave relationships only to realise they should have stayed. Often, a lack of courage and communication, along with a tendency to focus on flaws, leads one partner to decide that it’s time to leave. Unfortunately, some of these stories don’t conclude favourably, and soon enough, the partner who left wishes to return. 42 The Birthday Journal
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